We would like to know how we can improve our service to you and how you perceive our surgery and staff.

To help us with this, we are setting up a virtual patient representation group so that you can have your say. We will ask the members of this representative group some questions from time to time, such as what you think about our opening times or the quality of the care or service you received. We will contact you by post and keep our surveys succinct so it shouldn’t take too much of your time.

We aim to gather around a number of patients from as broad a spectrum as possible to get a truly representative sample. We need young people, workers, retirees, people with long term conditions and people from non-British ethnic groups.

If you are happy for us to contact you occasionally by email please click the link below to open the sign-up form and complete all the fields.

We will be in touch shortly after we receive your form. Please note that no medical information or questions will be responded to.

Our next planned Patient Group meeting is scheduled on , here at Spires Health Centre 13:00hrs - 14:30hrs. If you would like to attend please contact Paula on 0121 531 4666, before .

Many thanks for your assistance

The information you supply us will be used lawfully, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. The Data Protection Act 1998 gives you the right to know what information is held about you and sets out rules to make sure that this information is handled properly.

The SpiresHealth Centre

Patient Participation Group

Introductory Meeting

Tuesday, 1st July 2014

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Present: Gous Ahmed (patient), Thomas Babb (patient),

Madeline Babb (patient), Elaine Costigan (patient),

Paula Dudley (Practice Manager), Dr. Ajay Ramachandran (GP)

Apologies: Stephanie Cartwright (patient), Peter Hughes (patient),

Welcome and Introductions

Aims and Objectives

What do we want from a PPG?

PD though it would be a good idea to follow the ground rules below and to be mentioned at the beginning of every meeting,

This meeting is not a forum for individual complaints and single issues

It is not an arena for complaints. Anyone with an individual complaint should address this to PD at another opportunity not during PPG meeting.

It is not for individual queries, these can be dealt with PD in privacy

Group Business

TB suggested that before nominating Chairperson and other roles to wait until the Group is more established. This was agreed by all.

Patient representatives suggested better communication of such events as this Group. PD has put notifications on all repeat prescriptions for all patients and at the rear of Reception a notice board for Spires info had a poster advertising meeting date and comment sheets for people who wish to attend. MB suggested a SMS messages PD said that these had been sent to all patients with a valid mobile telephone number on our system. PD will resend 1 month prior to next meeting.

Current News at Spires

New building – AR informed the Group that our CCG (Sandwell & West Birmingham CCG) & NHS England have recently approved the new building plans as Spires will be the only GP surgery hence a smaller development will be necessary. New building should be ready within 3 years.

Locums – AR explained the national shortage of Locums and the difficulty in getting cover for our 6pm – 8pm surgery we currently have every Monday evening. If no Locum can be found extra appointments will be available between 7:15am and 6:30pm.

On-line prescriptions and appointments – PD notified all about the service that enables patients to book appointments with each GP and Practice Nurse. Prescriptions can be requested and forwarded onto patients preferred Pharmacy.

GA asked if the new building could be based in the Wednesbury Town. AR informed GA where the new premises would be built.

EC was going to look at the car park facilities and whether or not the Surgery car park will be “pay & display” and if/what provisions would be in place for Patients.

PD briefly explained the projects that NHS England has proposed (although it is optional) for all GP’s. Avoiding unplanned hospital admissions – to give all vulnerable/at risk patients a named GP and a direct line to have telephone contact to the Surgery before deciding to visit Accident & Emergency and keep visits to a minimum. This register is to be 2% of the patient register.

All patients over the age of 75 will too have a named GP and letters were being sent this week informing them.

Next Steps…

MB asked if the “Expert patient” scheme was still available for patients to get a better awareness of their illness. PD will look into this as she feels that this is a service that has been dissolved, if so, to enquire if a Drug Company would be willing to sponsor a lunch meeting.

All persons present gave consent for their names to identifiable in the Reception copy of the minutes

I was agreed that a RSVP date should be put so the Practice are aware of the people free to attend the next meeting.

PH stated that a visit from the Council Planning Department were due to visit Spires Health Centre tomorrow (03/09/14) with connection to extending the site lease by 3 years. AJ & PD have received no notification regarding this but will be present when they arrive.

PD and AR noted that patients DNAing appointments were on the increase. All thought that notifying patients of the number of missed appointments is a good deterrent and that if it was present in another format other than a written poster i.e. charts etc., that would draw attention in the waiting room. The cost implication to the surgery was also suggested. PD would take this to the Receptionists in charge of the miscellaneous duties.

PD asked PH about signage to Spires Health Centre as she had been chasing the Highways Dept and had requested signs to be placed at the end of Victoria Street as a lot of new patients had pointed out that they weren’t aware of any Health Centre down Victoria Street. PH was going to address this.

AR brought up the NHS Choices website reviews and that we are currently a 5 star. Explained how the GP’s are monitoring the appointments and adding clinics as and when necessary.

Mrs MB suggested that when attending a local social group she would enquire if any persons registered here would like to join the PPG to expand the numbers of the Patient Group. Mr MB was going to look into previous members that were registered at Mallings Health and informing PD of names to invite to Spires PPG.

MB suggested Spires Health Centre have an open day, to invite people in and around. An afternoon tea/coffee and cake session tba. To improve notice boards informing other people that use our Surgery for phlebotomy, anti-coagulant service of what we do. PD to address this when staff have completed the majority of their annual leave commitments.

Date & Time of next meeting

4th November 2014 @ 1:00pm 2:30pm

Please inform me of your attendance by 30/10/14

Annex D: Standard Reporting Template

Sandwell & West Birmingham Area Team

2014/15 Patient Participation Enhanced Service – Reporting Template

Practice Name: Spires Health Centre

Practice Code: M88643

Signed on behalf of practice: Date: 31st March 2015

Signed on behalf of PPG: Date:

Prerequisite of Enhanced Service – Develop/Maintain a Patient Participation Group (PPG)

Does the Practice have a PPG? YES

Method of engagement with PPG: Face to face, Email, Other (please specify) Face to face

Number of members of PPG: 9

Detail the gender mix of practice population and PPG:

%

Male

Female

Practice

48.41

51.5

PRG

0.18

0.16

Detail of age mix of practice population and PPG:

%

<16

17-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65-74

> 75

Practice

21.5

12.5

15.5

14.3

12.7

9.6

6.8

5.6

PRG

0

0

0

0

5.86

13.23

9.42

2.61

Detail the ethnic background of your practice population and PRG:

White

Mixed/ multiple ethnic groups

British

Irish

Gypsy or Irish traveller

Other white

White &black Caribbean

White &black African

White &Asian

Other mixed

Practice

20.6

0

0

1.4

0.9

0.1

0.2

0.4

PRG

57.48

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Asian/Asian British

Black/African/Caribbean/Black British

Other

Indian

Pakistani

Bangladeshi

Chinese

Other

Asian

African

Caribbean

Other Black

Arab

Any other

Practice

3.1

0.5

11

0.1

0.6

0.2

0.2

0

0

PRG

1.45

0

5.14

0

0

0

0

0

0

Describe steps taken to ensure that the PPG is representative of the practice population in terms of gender, age and ethnic background and other members of the practice population:

Each meeting everyone is asked to bring a friend

Patients have said they would mention at their places of worship, knitting clubs, patients in the community as a couple of our PPG are Councillors

Text messages sent to all registered patients that have consented to SMS messages informing of PPG meeting

Random requests when patients contact staff with suggestions

Are there any specific characteristics of your practice population which means that other groups should be included in the PPG? e.g. a large student population, significant number of jobseekers, large numbers of nursing homes, or a LGBT community? YES

If you have answered yes, please outline measures taken to include those specific groups and whether those measures were successful:

Large Bangladeshi community that can have a language barrier and not fully aware of what we do.

A lot of new patients have recently registered due to a local surgery being closed. Patients perhaps waiting to see how practice runs before deciding whether to join or not.

Also a very young population of school/university students.

Review of patient feedback

Outline the sources of feedback that were reviewed during the year:

Patients that do attend seem to be very keen in giving feedback and are vocal bringing experience that they have had at other PPG’s. They are very vocal regarding our “new” build and re-assured that weren’t closing down like the Mallings Health Surgery

How frequently were these reviewed with the PRG?

We meet every 2-3 months.

Action plan priority areas and implementation

Priority area 1

Description of priority area:

Patient representative’s want advice and reassurance regarding the new surgery and progress.

What actions were taken to address the priority?

NHS England have been invited on numerous occasions to visit us and inform us as a Surgery what the current plans are. I understand current changes within the team have prevented this but a meeting is scheduled here 27th Jan.

Meeting that was attended by NHS England on 17th February with Olivia Amartey who explained a definite decision would be made by the end of March and a plan/schedule in place with regards to the new Surgery.

Result of actions and impact on patients and carers (including how publicised):

Minutes from all PPG meetings are printed and presented in a PPG folder kept in the reception waiting area for anyone to access.

Posters are placed on the Surgery notice board displaying dates of meetings and any other important information gained from meetings.

Representatives explaining appointment line is busy first thing and appointments are taken by the time they get through

What actions were taken to address the priority?

Representatives informed of appointment on line and prescription ordering service that can be done at any time

Surgery offers a variety of services as well as face to face appointments, patients can request a telephone consultation with Doctors, leave a message with Reception staff to enter into message book for certain things like, repeat sick notes, feedback from hospital consultations etc., Practice Nurse runs a triage service each week day between 1pm and 2pm for people who have queries with regards travel immunisations, blood test or investigative tests that may need explaining.

Result of actions and impact on patients and carers (including how publicised):

Posters are displayed advertising the service throughout waiting area

Practice Leaflets that explain services are readily available in reception and at reception desk

Reception staff readily ask if the patient would prefer any of the services available

Text messages sent to all registered patients that have consented to SMS messages informing of Service

All new patients receive paperwork to complete to access the on-line service and handbook on how system works